Do you like the direction EA is going?

[metallicatz]

I just read the interview with EA Sports' new boss Peter Moore (formerly of Microsoft) and I gotta say i'm not sure what to think. Perhaps i'm reading too much into his comments but it just seems to me he isn't going to be the guy who turns EA Sports around and gets things with the football franchises headed in the right direction. He's just another sales guy who's going to tow the company line and give you a carefully scripted sales pitch to try and convince you why EA's way is the right way. In short, he's a Yes man for whatever company is cutting his checks and not out to please a core audience. He's apparently under the impression that things with EA's football franchises are just fine based upon the latest round of review scores. And while I think there is alot that's good with these games, I think there's also alot that's wrong and a new direction is needed.

I'm also in sales as a rep for a dive gear manufacturing company, and in our industry guys like him aren't guys that are respected because they jump from company to company and are just not straight up and honest with the customer. Switching companies is one thing, but you have to be real about it. It also seems like he wants to just whore out the NFL franchise to make a bunch of crappy spinoff games. Here's the interview for those who haven't seen it.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6178276...wstop;title;13

EXCERPT:

GS: Now, EA Sports has secured exclusivity for every kind of football, short of fictional and Canadian leagues, for years to come. But one of the worries people have is that with EA's football monopoly, for lack of a better term, the genre might stagnate.

PM: Yeah, but that hasn't happened. This year, you've seen the best Madden review scores in, what, the last four years? Now, having come from Microsoft, the M-word will not come out of my mouth. I will say the ability for us to be able to continue to actually excite the consumer is not based on having an exclusive deal with the NFL--it is in really innovating the game experience. Otherwise, they'll simply shrug their shoulders and turn their back if we don't push their buttons.

But it's a criticism I'm well aware of. It's a criticism I heard a lot a couple of years ago when the deal was done. I hear less of it nowadays. If the product stands up, and the product is competitive, and the product innovates every year, our consumer says, "This is a great Madden." Then, I think we're doing our end of the job and continue to keep the experience fresh.

[RumbleCard]

I get more and more pissed off everday

[DrUrsus]

The quote you posted is just him supporting what their doing and not taking a customer-centered approach. Typical EA.

[sportsdude]

Quote: Originally Posted by DrUrsus

The quote you posted is just him supporting what their doing and not taking a customer-centered approach. Typical EA.

Yeah. I love he got all hardcore defensive like the interviewer just called his sister a whore or something.

It'd be hard to not get better scores than 06 and 07, those games sucked.

[therizing02]

What direction are they headed in? I haven't seen anything from this company from a gaming standpoint that makes me think they give a *earmuffs* about anything other than money.

Yes, I can empathize that they are in business to make profits, but they clearly demonstrate EVERY year by releasing games with gamekiller bugs that are so obvious, I honestly think they put them/leave them in the game so that they have something to improve on next year. "Madden/NCAA 09 The turnovers have been fixed! Reserve your copy now!"

This is the first year that I have ever been over the top pi$$ed off about bugs. EA's football offering this year is an absolute JOKE. It just sickens me because I watched/read all the developer/producer interviews and blogs and like most of you was optimistic about NCAA and Madden this year. Unfortunately two days of playing these games was enough to realize that the turnover bug (YES there is one) has made 60fps, defensive hot routes, great recruiting mode, campus legend, superstar, and improved running games irrelevant.

Too bad EA. I'm certain all of you have put in many hours creating the '"cash cow" and NCAA. No doubt your marketing and PR people have put in countless hours and ran up expense accounts milking/sucking up to the IGN's of the world to get their overblown ratings. Did they review the games after a night out on the town? Did they not notice the 12 turnovers in the first half of the Auburn/Alabama game? Did they not notice Donovan McNabb's 5 INT's and 3 fumbles in the first half against the lowly Cleveland Browns? W T F?!

Developers: I'm sorry that all of your hard work on improving many ares of the game mean nothing because both of these games are unplayable because of your pathetic game testers that can't even spot or, choose to overlook the obvious flaws in your "cash cow" and NCAA. Then again, maybe it was some "suit" that said, "I don't care what's wrong with it, just release the damn thing!"

It's too bad that with all of this BS this year, people (unfortunately like me) still bought these games. Too bad for us that EB Games and Gamestop's return policies blow.

What would Ortiz and Ian Cummings have to say about that? We'll never know as they no doubt hard at work on next year's "cash cow" and NCAA. Come out and face the music boys or how about this, don't admit the problem and release the "Alternate Uniforms" with something that mysteriously fixes the turnover issue and depth chart bug. No one is holding their breath though.

[cam780]

I think this is a case of reading too much into an article. If you read the answer to his question about Ea having a monopoly it seems like his answer is actual what we want to hear - if the gameplay isn't there the fact that they have the licenses won't matter. Now, yes, he mentions the ratings but thats not central to his point.

I think the answer to your question is actually yes for me. They have centered their focus primarily on gameplay and brought back a majority of the features from last gen according to Russell next year they're primarily focused on presentation and online play. So I would hesitate to question their direction. To me, its the execution that is the problem.

[metallicatz]

Personally i don't agree with him that EA has been "innovating the game experience" and I think he's completely full of shiat when he says these criticisms are something he's "hearing less of these days". I don't know where he's been getting his info or hanging out but it seems to me just about every Madden board (or NCAA for that matter) I visit seems to be a more and more conflicted place every year. I think EA needs to put a sports guy in charge of EA Sports......not some slickster salesman like PM. My opinion is that the company needs a new direction and philosophy, not just another marketing angle.

[ODogg]

I like the direction EA is going, most definitely. This year's football games are killer.